11 Easy Ways To Add Color To A Room (To Create A Cohesive Look)

Discover how to add color to a room with simple touches that bring a sense of harmony and style. By using decorating accents and textiles you can create a cohesive and vibrant living space that you’ll love.

It is no secret that I like color–in my home, in my garden and in my apparel.

Certain colors energize me and make me feel happy.

But, when I added raspberry pink and chive green tiles to the home library ceiling, my initial reaction was, “This time you’ve gone too far!”

The ceiling was attracting all the attention, which certainly was not my objective.

So I needed some way to prevent it from being the focal point in the room.

And I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to solve the problem by adding a few colorful accessories.

They instantly made the room look balanced, bright and beautiful. A place I love to hang out in.

In fact, I sit in the home library more now than I ever have. Surely an indicator that the new hot pint accessories are creating an environment that feeds my soul.

Here are the simple ways I add coordinating color to a room.

1 | Candles

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Candles are available in many different colors and are a fast and simple way to introduce the hue you want.

Pink taper candles in front of a fireplace in a living room with a pink and green ceiling

I found some hot pink tapers and round flat floaters that go with the color scheme.

Then placed the tapers into a trio of silver floor candle holders in front of the fireplace and added the flat floaters to a metal sculpture on the coffee table.

Even this simple change de-emphasized the boldness of the ceiling and made it appear more cohesive.

Three blue and white candle holders bring a cohesive look to a blue and white living room.

To add even more interest, you can look for patterned candles, like these blue and white Chinoiserie candles I ordered for my living room. Compared to a plain taper, they create an extra dimension.

2 | Cushions

Cushions are a traditional way to add a pop of color and texture to a room.

A cohesive living room decorated with a pink couch, cushions and a chandelier.

For my home library, I brought the ceiling colors down to the sofa by sewing new cushion covers in a coordinating print and a plain hot pink.

Two chairs with coordinating lumbar cushions in a cohesive living room with bookshelves.

Then added lumbar cushions on the chairs with a pattern that also has hot pink in it.

Repeating the same color across the room helps to tie everything together.

To make them look like they belonged together, I piped the hot pink cushion in the print fabric and trimmed the small lumbar print cushions with fuchsia gimp and tassels. (To get all the details on how to do this, read how to sew cushion covers).

Blue and white living room with two chairs with blue and white cushions and a rug.

In the living room, I used them to add pattern as well as color.

The living room chairs have cushions made with a blue and white patterned damask fabric.

Blue and white cushion on a chaise in a blue and white living room

While the cushion on the chaise has a navy and white contemporary patterned velvet fabric. Which speaks to one of the large blue and white porcelain jars in the room. And grounds the bright Kate Spade poppy pattern on the chaise.

3 | Throws

Another way I like to accessorize is with the addition of a throw or blanket.

I have a complimentary-hued throw in every room.

Not only does it augment the color scheme, it is a cozy and handy way to fend off chills in the winter.

Purple bedroom with a purple throw on the bed

In the bedroom, I provide texture and warmth with a purple mohair throw.

It is a plain on a multicolored silk duvet which gives a break from all the pattern. And echoes all the purple in the room.

Pink living room with a pink throw blanket on the sofa.

In my home library, there’s the wool blanket I picked up at the Avoca Mills in Ireland.

The color blocks tie together all of the colors in the room. There is light pink to address the sofa stripe, hot pink for the ceiling and other accessories, green for the wallpaper, small tables and ceiling, burgundy and purples for the wallpaper. It is perfection!

As an added bonus, it brings back happy memories of an interesting tour of the mill and its beautiful gardens.

Having some accents that remind you of pleasant events or trips is important. That’s what personalizes your house and makes it feel like home.

4 | Books

Coffee table books with coordinating colors in a pink living room

One very easy way to accessorize and display your interests is to choose coffee table books that have jackets in the color you are introducing.

Place a stack of 2 or 3 on the coffee table for instant coordination and conversation starters.

I have decorating books by favorite designers and gardening books written by gardeners whose gardens I have visited on my coffee table. Which also remind me of more happy memories.

5 | Painted furniture

A pink chair and green table add color to a living room with a pink and green ceiling.

Painting furniture to match your color scheme is a little more work than most of the other options on the list. But it really brings the color scheme alive.

My home library already had two chive-green painted tables that were color matched to the green in the wallpaper. Which is the same color that I used to paint the edge of the ceiling tiles.

So I needed to have something that matched the raspberry pink of the ceiling.

I bought a small wooden chair on Marketplace, stripped off the old varnish and painted it the same color as the ceiling tiles.

A vibrant room with colorful walls and a pink chair, creating a cohesive look.

Then I had it reupholstered in the same fabric as the lumbar cushions on the other chairs.

This colorful addition definitely helps to balance out the ceiling.

6 | Vases

A blue and white living room with a chair and a collection of blue and white vases.

Starting a collection of vases in your colors of choice is another easy way to add color to your room.

Like the blue and white ginger jars I have in my living room.

The great thing about a collection is you don’t have to buy them all at once. So it’s a little easier on your wallet.

And when you do find new additions, you can re-arrange them to update the look of your room.

7 | Corbels

My rooms are limited in surface space so I like to display collections vertically on the walls.

Easy ways to add color and achieve a cohesive look in a living room with blue walls and gold accents.

To fit more of them in, I purchased a variety of large corbels from Marketplace vendors.

Then I gilded some and spray painted the more intricate ones using bright gold Rustoleum spray paint*. And hung them randomly on the wall. (If you’re interested, you can find out how to apply gold leaf).

The combination of the gold sconces with the blue and white jars ties in beautifully with the gold, blue and white decor in the room.

Plus it makes an unique, interesting statement in the room!

A room with a cohesive look, adorned in pink and yellow wallpaper and a statue on a pink corbel

I did something similar in the kitchen where I painted a plain corbel the same color as the woodwork and put a lady bust on it.

This really helps to make the most of my vertical areas and display accessories that add pops of color.

8 | Trash can

A blue and white trash can and ginger jar on the floor beside a blue and white rug and a chaise

Trash cans aren’t on very many decorating accessory lists. But I believe it is the small details that make a room look thoughtfully coordinated.

I swapped out an ugly garbage can in the living room with a blue and white flower pot. (A large vase would also work).

The pattern compliments the blue and white ginger jars and rug much better than a standard trash can would.

It neatly tucks under my favorite small side table, so it’s in a handy location.

And as a bonus, it cost less than most garbage cans.

9 | Storage containers

A white storage container on a table in a blue and white room.

The phone and remotes needed a home out of sight.

Luckily I saw a white marble divided container at HomeGoods that works well with my blue and white living room decor. (Color coordinated boxes or baskets would also work).

It keeps the small sundries that add clutter to a table top confined and easy to access.

It looks good on my favorite glass side table* and conserves space tidily there.

10 | Lamps

A blue and white lamp on a table in a blue room creating a cohesive look.

While lamps are obviously a functional addition to a room, they can also add to your color scheme.

You can get ceramic or glass lamps in many different colors.

Or if you already have the base, go for a color-coordinated lamp shade* instead.

11 | Pictures

Pictures hanging on the wall above a chaise in a living room

Pictures are another way that you can add color to your walls. And many people look for art that will complement their room decor.

However, I believe in buying pictures because I like them. Not because I need to fill a space in a room.

So my walls are filled with art that pleases me.

I do choose the best location for each piece, but they weren’t chosen specifically as a room accent.

If your home is decorated in colors you love, and you’re choosing art you love, chances are it will go even if the match wasn’t intentional.

That is the list of accents I use to add color and coordinate each room into a pleasing cohesiveness.

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